Our Family Stories

Meet the Rest of the Clan

The Shines you know, Mike, Chris, and Colin, our Chef, come from the now very large Shine Clan which spread worldwide in the last two centuries. The restaurant name and brand are a loving "nod" to both of them -- Michael's great-grandfather Francis (Frank) Shine, the patriarch of the Limerick County, Ireland Clan and Frank ("Father Frank") Shine, a beloved Uncle, a very special personality and a man of the cloth. Frances sent two of his sons, Tom and Michael, to America in the early 19th century, and the American Shines were born -- living, loving and prospering in both the Kansas City and Dallas metro areas.

Join us on our trip through old photos, fascinating lives, and meet our family. We have some pretty charming stories to share!

Arthur Cleveland Swarb

A.C. Swarb was born in 1890 on the Emahaka Indian Mission, in the Seminole Nation of the Indian Territories. The Nation was located near Sasakawa in present day Southwestern Oklahoma. His parents and siblings were some of the first settlers of Potowatomie County, pioneers who arrived at the end of the 19th century by covered wagon. Mr. Swarb married Miss Myrtle Harding in 1915 and raised 3 sons and 2 daughters on a farm near the Maude and Harjo townships. The Swarbs spent the next 50 years farming the fertile red dirt of the Canadian River Valley. He was an avid sportsman, a member of the Southwestern Fox and Wolf Hunters Association, and a breeder of the coveted Walker American Foxhound.

This photo would have been taken around 1910 in or near Okemah, Oklahoma. The photographer was the regionally notable G.H. Farnum. The photo was printed in the form of a postcard, a technology that the Kodiak Company debuted in the late 1800’s. A.C. Swarb, it is imagined, would have had this photo taken and sent the postcards to relatives with well wishes from the American Frontier. (b. July 19, 1890; d. March 16, 1973)

Stay tuned fOR more of our family stories!

Check out our Gift Cards

We've launched a new series of collectible gift cards with the photos and stories of our family members from Ireland and the Old West. Our first release features A.C. Swarb and there'll be many more coming in the next months.

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